Kuala Lumpur Malesia

Bernardino Lagni

Francois Petit

Jenny Lavarda

Muriel Sarkany

Natalija Gros

Sandrine Levet

Tina Schultz

Kuala Lumpur (Malaise), 2-4 November
4° Difficulty World Cup.
(di Oscar Durbiano)
After a few years the world circuit crosses the ocean again. It is the time for Malaise to host the 4° WC 2001. To tell the truth the local Federation has announced the competition for a few years now, and then for different reasons, it has been postponed to the next year. This year instead it has worked. We must remark that the European participation hasn't been as usual, for obvious cost problems. Nevertheless most of the bests are present, except important names like Mrazek, Lagni, Legrand among the men, and Ovtchinnikova, Uhden, Sedlmayer beside obviously Liv Sansoz, absent for injury from the beginning of the season, among the girls. Three competition days, in a warm-humid climate, 30° and 99% humidity.
The men's competition celebrates the return of Chabot on the highest step of the podium. With this result the young French conquers the world cup title a competition in advance, repeating the last year success. Incredible the results of the French guy, three wins out of four competitions, and a third place! Good in reading the routes, in the management of the strength, personalized training and fast moving, with a high endurance. Here in extreme synthesis, the receipt of the success, not only of Chabot, but also of the entire French team. In a couple of years the team has completely changed the look, lowering of ten years the average age of the equipe. Behind Chabot, many others push, from the World Champion Pouvreau, to Auclair and many others who this year are still in the shadow. The only one of the old guard to hold on is the ex-World Champion Petit, who seems a veteran at only 26 years. Important names like Legrand, Dewilde, Caude are definitely behind. Also this is a sign of the times, closed a cycle another one opens and the game goes on. In Kuala Lumpur consolation prize for Christian Bindhammer, who makes a good performance after a period of low level. Positive also the third place of Pouvreau, who makes all he can to keep open the fight for the general ranking of the Cup, but without success. Pouvreau consolidates his second place, but can do nothing against the friend-rival Chabot. Sixth the Italian Brenna. It is a good result, but little compared with the possibilities he showed in the half final, where he literally dominated. An unlucky year fort the Italian, who hasn't yet completely recovered from the foot fracture in last June. In the women's field the triumphal march of Sarkany continues. The champion from Belgium fight with the French Levet, in this period her only rival, and at the end she manages to win. Surprising the third position for Annatina Schultz. The beautiful Swiss climber seems to have found, in the season final, a good psychophysical balance, fundamental for the quality leap that many await from her. Descending parable for Martina Cufar, who nevertheless remains still in the run for the WC title. 8° place for Jenny Lavarda, a performance not good and not bad, considering the absences. For the girl from Vicenza an end of the season from which we cannot expect much, but that we must consider in function of next year, that could be the one of definitive consecration in the international landscape. On Friday 16 November the circuit comes back to Europe, to the traditional appointment of Kranj, in Slovenia. Still to be decided, the final ranking for the women and the lower places for the men. It is important because there will be old glories trying to come back, but also to understand what our Italians can do, particularly for a future perspective. We shouldn't forget that the dream to conquer the World Cup is still there, Brenna two times, in 96 and 98 and Luisa Iovane in 89 were near the goal. Today things are different, and the dreams are a little smaller. But they are still here. They are always called Brenna, Lagni, but also Crespi and Lavarda: the present and the future are in their hands.